How to Protect Your Vegetables With Insect Netting

Discover the 3 breakthroughs that enable us to grow a year-round supply of food with ease!

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Insect netting is one of the most powerful tools we have to defend our crops agains insect damage, but the work of covering and uncovering our beds with netting can be time consuming and annoying. That's why we started using walk-in netted tunnels like this years ago. When used properly, a tunnel like this can prevent damage from flea beetles, cabbage moths, cabbage loopers, and leaf miners, and more...while at the same time making it really easy to access the covered vegetables inside.

BONUS TIP: Removing the conduit posts from the ground is not easy if you just try to pull them out. The trick is to rotate them while lifting to reduce the friction between the pipe and the soil. I use a pipe wrench to slowly turn the conduit, and as soon as they start to turn, I can pull up on the pipe wrench and the conduit slides right out of the ground.

Here are the parts we use for one of our 20ft long tunnels that span two of our 30 inch wide beds.
10 x 10ft lengths of 1/2 inch EMT conduit bent into hoops with a 3ft radius
15 x 5ft lengths of 1/2 inch EMT conduit
2 x 2.5ft lengths of 1/2 inch EMT conduit

All of these materials hold up really well to wet weather and sunlight, except for the netting. Therefore, we'll often leave the tunnel frames in place for multiple years but take off the netting for the winter to minimize weather exposure and maximize its lifespan.

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[TheDailyConversation]

Thank you so much for this! It's exactly the kind of versatile solution I've been searching for my raised beds. We're using a pop-up screened canopy right now but I am not confident it can stand up to a windy day. The way you made/cut the video - straightforward with no dumb, time-wasting filler - was also much appreciated. Happy spring!

[dianeladico]

I used two cattle panels side by side with rebar pounded in to hold it in place with a few sturdy cable ties as insurance against slipping. Netting went over the panels and each end had a separate piece tucked underneath all held in place with stainless clamps. I put caps over the exposed ends of the wire to protect the fabric. One end was permanently fixed and the 'door' was on the other end. I removed three clips on one side to get in and out. It worked beautifully. I only grew cucumbers and summer squash but it was the first year with no cucumber beetle or squash vine borer damage or disease.

[bettygentry]

EXCELLENT!!! THANK YOU for this video!

[bjarkemadsen]

This is the ideas I have been looking for. they are so good yet so simple. Thanks all the way from Denmark

[heatherhawkins]

Fantastic, Thankyou for showing your amazing vegie cover 👌

[slaplapdog]

I appreciate the creative off label use of conduit and connectors.

[ades]

Does the rain drip through evenly or run off on the outside due to the tiny holes? I would love to make one of these.

[kimwiley]

I love ❤️ how you doing this. Very helpful idea. Hope I can build some up. Thank you so much.

[esrcornwell]

Fantastic idea! You have some great ideas!

[lorettakayati]

How do you get the crosses and the tees on without cutting the pipe?

[backtonaturefarm]

How do you get the crosses and tee's on the hoops without cutting the hoop? do you slide them on and then bend the hoop?

[livingtherufflife]

I LOVE THIS! So much better then others I’ve seen, thank u thank u🎉🎉🎉🎉

[amyhorrocks]

Can you please explain what size netting you bought and then cut/sewed it together to make the 2 final pieces? And how did you sew it….just with a regular home sewing machine?? Thanks!!

[riverunner]

The tunnel is genius thank you, I was think in about the issue of pollination tubes of mason bees could be very happy in the tunneks

[margemoore]

Do you have to pollinate yourself since you are restricting access

[JoyceAnderson-ChristianMusic]

Question: I live a mile from the ocean and we often have sudden high wind gusts. Does enough wind go through the material so that it doesn't blow the netting down or away?

[garrydonnelly]

How do friendly pollinators get in to do their important job?

[riccardodellorto]

Can you make a video about what you can plant from seed in autumn/winter? In pots inside the house, or also outside if they can survive freezing temperature

[zachflynn]

I like this design, and that it uses somewhat easy to access parts. Do you have some idea of the cost per covered foot for these tunnels?

[VanillaAttila]

Great hoop design! Def going to make one of these if I get too much insect pressure. Have you found the bungee cord disintegrates in the sun and spreads MPs onto your beds?